Operational envelope detection with situational assessment

Abstract

Embodiments for operational envelope detection (OED) with situational assessment are disclosed. Embodiments herein relate to an operational envelope detector that is configured to receive, as inputs, information related to sensors of the system and information related to operational design domain (ODD) requirements. The OED then compares the information related to sensors of the system to the information related to the ODD requirements, and identifies whether the system is operating within its ODD or whether a remedial action is appropriate to adjust the ODD requirements based on the current sensor information. Other embodiments are described and/or claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 determining, with at least one processor, a trajectory for a vehicle based on a location of the vehicle and sensor data associated with at least one sensor; 
 determining, with the at least one processor, whether the trajectory is associated with at least one defined functional requirement; and 
 in accordance with determining that the trajectory is associated with at least one defined functional requirement:
 determining, with the at least one processor, a first level of risk of non-compliance of the vehicle based on the at least one defined functional requirement and performance of the trajectory; 
 generating, with the at least one processor, a minimum perception zone based on the trajectory; 
 assessing, with the at least one processor, a second level of risk of non-compliance of the vehicle associated with performance of the trajectory by the vehicle based on the minimum perception zone; 
 determining, with the at least one processor, a total level of risk based on a combination of the first level of risk and the second level of risk; 
 determining, with the at least one processor, whether the total level of risk would place the vehicle in a safe state or an unsafe state;
 in accordance with the total level of risk placing the vehicle in a safe state, traversing the trajectory; and 
 in accordance with the total level of risk placing the vehicle in an unsafe state, requesting an intervention to place the vehicle in a safe state. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 requesting an intervention to place the vehicle in a safe state based on determining that the trajectory is not associated with at least one defined functional requirement. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first level of risk is based on a perception visibility model for a region of interest that indicates a probability that an object detection in the sensor data is visible to at least one sensor of the vehicle in the region of interest, and
 wherein assessing the first level of risk comprises:
 assessing the first level of risk based on the probability that the object is visible to the at least one sensor of the vehicle in the region of interest. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining a first level of risk of non-compliance of the vehicle with the at least one defined functional requirement if the vehicle traverses the trajectory, further comprises:
 determining whether at least one quantitative metric associated with the defined functional requirements is satisfied. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one quantitative metric is associated with at least one regulatory rule, safety rule, or passenger comfort rule. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the perception visibility model is based on at least one prior perception visibility model. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the probability is determined based on sensor condition data associated with an operational state of the at least one sensor of the vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the operational state indicates whether a field of view of the at least one sensor is occluded. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the operational state indicates whether the at least one sensor has malfunctioned. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the probability is determined based on at least one environmental condition. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one environmental condition is a weather condition. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one environmental condition is an illumination condition. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intervention is a minimum risk maneuver. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, based on requesting the intervention, data associated with control of the vehicle, wherein the data is configured to cause the vehicle to take one or more actions. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the minimum perception zone is based on the trajectory. 
     
     
       16. A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by the at least one processor, cause a vehicle to perform operations comprising:
 determining a trajectory for a vehicle based on a location of the vehicle and sensor data associated with at least one sensor; 
 determining whether the trajectory is associated with at least one defined functional requirement; and 
 
 in accordance with determining that the trajectory is associated with at least one defined functional requirement:
 determining a first level of risk of non-compliance of the vehicle based on the at least one defined functional requirement and performance of the trajectory; 
 generating a minimum perception zone based on the trajectory; 
 assessing a second level of risk of non-compliance of the vehicle associated with performance of the trajectory by the vehicle based on the minimum perception zone; 
 determining a total level of risk based on a combination of the first level of risk and the second level of risk; 
 determining whether the total level of risk would place the vehicle in a safe state or an unsafe state;
 in accordance with the total level of risk placing the vehicle in a safe state, traversing the trajectory; and 
 in accordance with the total level of risk placing the vehicle in an unsafe state, requesting an intervention to place the vehicle in a safe state. 
 
 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 requesting an intervention to place the vehicle in a safe state based on determining that the trajectory is not associated with at least one defined functional requirement. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first level of risk is based on a perception visibility model for a region of interest that indicates a probability that an object detection in the sensor data is visible to at least one sensor of the vehicle in the region of interest, and
 wherein assessing the first level of risk comprises:
 assessing the first level of risk based on the probability that the object detection is visible to the at least one sensor of the vehicle in the region of interest. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein determining a first level of risk of non-compliance of the vehicle with the at least one defined functional requirement if the vehicle traverses the trajectory, further comprises:
 determining whether at least one quantitative metric associated with the defined functional requirements is satisfied. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one quantitative metric is associated with at least one regulatory rule, safety rule, or passenger comfort rule.